Ruffling attachment for sewing machines



June 6, 1939. DE R E 2,161,410

RUFFLING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 17, 1958 2 Sheets$heet l 5/ I -I l m L52:

Fig 4 flzidvfl i June 6, 1939. I A, F, DE R SE 2,161,410

RUFFLING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed N011. 17, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE RUFFLING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a ruffling attachment for sewing machines, and has for an object to provide a rufiling attachment which may be assembled complete as a unit and then attached as, such by a simple attaching means to the head of a sewing machine without requiring reconstructing of the machine so that the device may be applied complete by a simple operation to sewing. machines already installed in a factory.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a device which may be operated indefinitely at the speed of operation of factory sewing machines and will effectively perform the milling operation at these speeds.

It is a further object to provide such an attachment with control means so constructed and arranged that the machine may be used for straight sewing and then without stopping or ad- .iusting the machine the ruffling device may be brought into operationfor rufliing for a given length of the seam, and then again if desired returning to straight sewing without stopping or adjusting the machine. With the foregoing and other objects in view '51 have devised an improved rufiiing attachment, two embodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specificatiomit being understood, however, that various changes and modifications may be em- 3b ployed within the scope of the invention.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the sewing machine head of the type in which the main shaft is in I the upper part of the head, showing my improved attachment applied thereto, the parts being broken away to more clearly show the construction;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3' is an end view looking from the right of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an end view looking from the left of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the milling blade with its supporting arm in section;

a Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a different type of sewing machine in which the main drive shaft is in the lower part of the head and showing my improved attachment applied thereto;

7 Fig. 7 is an end view lookingfrom the right Fig. 9 is a detail section substantially on line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

It is old in sewing machines to attach a ruffiing attachment to the presser foot or presser bar of the sewing machine and have the ruflling element operated by the needle bar. These devices are not practical in manufacturing plants for extensive rufiling operations at high speeds but are practical only for small rufiling jobs in the home. Sewing machines have also been manuiactured with ruflling mechanism built into the machine and forming part thereof. These, however, are special machines intended only for ruffling operations and one wishing to perform ruffiing operations must purchase an entire machine which is quite expensive.

I have devised an attachment of simple and rugged construction which is complete in itself and may be assembled and adjusted independently of the sewing machine, and then applied as such complete and assembled unit by very simple operations to sewing machines already installed in a factory or manufacturing plant, doing away with the necessity of having special milling machines. This attachment is so constructed and arranged as to operate at the full speed of such machines and effectively perform indefinitely ruining operations on these machines, and they may be easily applied to the already installed sewing machine without reconstructing the machine in any way.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5, in these figures my improved attachment is shown as applied to a standard type of machine comprising a head 10 having an upper horizontal arm II carrying the needle I2 at its forward end and the needle operating and thread control mechanism which are not shown. In this type of machine the main operating shaft I3 is in the upper part of the head and carries the usual band and hand wheel I4 which is usually driven by a belt or band in factory operation from a countershaft under the supporting table.

My improved ruffiing attachment comprises a bracket l5 having a laterally extending arm l6 which when the bracket is secured to the head of the sewing machine extends substantially horizontally at the front of the head as indicated. This arm carries a plurality of bearings I! for an oscillating shaft 18. At its forward end this shaft carries and has secured thereto a downwardly extending arm 19 carrying at its lower end a ruffling blade 20 of the usual type having teeth 21 at its forward edge to rest on and engage the upper part of the cloth to be ruilled to feed it for wardly as the blade is oscillated, and. push it under the presser foot 22 faster than it is fed by the sewing machine feed 23, so that it passes under the presser foot in folds to give the ruiflling effect in the well known manner. A coil spring 24 having an arm 25 pressing on the top of the ruffler blade yieldingly holds this blade against the top of the cloth.

Secured to the other end of the shaft I8 is an operating lever 26, and connected with this lever for oscillating it is an operating bar 21. This bar is mounted in a suitable guide 28 carried by the bracket, which permits up and down and lateral movements of the bar. At its upper end this bar has a bearing 29 embracing an eccentric 30. This eccentric is provided with an opening 3| to receive the usual screw 32 in the end of the main or needle shaft l3 to hold the band and hand wheel on the shaft, and the eccentric also carries a pin 33 of a size and so located as to enter the key way slot 34 which is normally in the shaft to receive the set screw for driving the shaft from the band wheel. The opening 3| for the screw 32 is so located in the eccentric as to give it proper eccentricity or throw, and the pin 33 is so located in the eccentric that when this eccentric is applied to the end of the shaft with the pin in the key way 34 the throw of the eccentric is properly positioned to give the proper movements of the milling blade 2|] with respect to the movement of the needle I2. This is generally so arranged that the miller blade is in the forward position at about the time the point of the needle enters the cloth on its downward movement. It will thus be seen that the locating pin 33 is properly in the eccentric. The mere act of applying the eccentric to the end of the shaft as indicated properly locates it in its angular position with respect to the shaft l3 so that the miller blade movement is in proper relation to the needle movement without any adjustment or other setting operation being required. All that is necessary in applying this eccentric to the shaft is to remove the screw 32 from the shaft, place the eccentric against the end of the shaft with the pin 33 in the key way 34 and then replace the screw 32 passing it through the opening in the eccentric. It will also be understood that as the eccentric is on the main or needle shaft 3 of the machine from which the needle is operated the miller is always driven at the proper speed and in synchronism with the operation of the needle. As the eccentric rotates it moves the bar 21 up and down imparting similar movements to the arm 26 which in turn oscillates the shaft l8 to move the ruffler blade back and forth for the rufiling operation.

The operating bar 21 may be connected to the operating arm 26 by different means. In the present case the arm 26 is provided with a longitudinal curved slot 35, preferably struck on an arc with the axis of the shaft I3 as the center. Mounted on the bar 21 is a stud 36 carrying a roller 31 located in the slot 35. This roller may move longitudinally in the slot to thereby adjust the effective length of the operating arm or lever 26 to vary the throw of the ruffler blade 20. Different means may be provided for adjusting this arm 21 and the roller 31. In the present case I have mounted on the arm 26 a pair of adjusting screws 38 and 39 mounted in lugs 40 and 4| on the arm 26 and adapted to engage opposite sides of the bar 21. It will be evident that by adjusting these screws the bar 21 and the roller 37 may be adjusted to greater or shorter distances from the shaft |8 to thus vary the throw of the ruflier blade 29. After adjustment the screws may be secured in adjusted position by any suitable means, such for example as set screws 42.

It is sometimes desirable to operate the ruffler only at certain intervals. To permit this operation one of the screws 38 or 39 may be removed or adjusted to its outer position. In the present case we will assume that the screw 39 is so removed or omitted and that there is a spring 43 connected to a stationary part of the machine indicated at 44 and also to the operating bar 21 to tend to move this bar upwardly or to the right as viewed in Fig. 3. A chain or cord 45 may be connected to the bar 21 and to a lever 46 operated by knee or foot control as desired. In the present case it is shown as operated by a pedal 41. It will be seen that by depressing the pedal 41 the operating bar 21 is drawn inwardly or against the end of the set screw 38 which is set togive the desired throw to the miller blade 29 for the rufiling operation, but when the bar 21 is drawn to the free end of the slot 35 by the spring 43 the movement of the ruffler blade is substantially that of the feed 23 of the machine, or it may be less, so as to give no ruffling operation. Thus the operator may sew the seam straight for a given desired length and then by pressing on the pedal 41 draw the bar 21 against the adjusting screw 38 and cause the ruflling for a given length of the seam, and this may be done without stopping or adjusting the machine. After a given length of ruffling has been done, by merely releasing the pressure on the pedal 41 spring 43 throws the bar 2! to the outer end of the slot stopping the ruflling operation and permitting straight sewing and this operation can also be permitted without stopping or adjusting the machine. Thus the operator may perform ruflling operations continuously or may sew a straight seam for a given distance, then a willing seam for a given distance, and then a straight seam again, as desired, without adjusting or stopping the machine. The spring and pedal control may of course be reversed. That is the spring 43 may be arranged to hold the bar 21 against the stop screw 38 and the pedal connection so arranged that pressure on the pedal will shift the bar 21 toward the outer end of the slot 35.

The arm I6 is also provided with a downward-.

ly extending support 48 on which is pivoted at 49 a rod 50 carrying a separator plate 5| to lie under the ruffier blade 2|] to separate the upper piece of cloth being ruflled from the lower piece of cloth which passes under the plate 5| and which is to be sewed in the seam without rufiling. This plate 5| may be swung to or from the position under the ruffler blade by merely swinging the rod 50 about its pivot. A spring washer 52 is preferably provided in this pivot to retain the rod in different positions.

The head of this type of machine is usually provided with a transverse channel or groove 53 in the rear surface of the upright portion which is provided for locating an electric motor, if desired, but in factory operation the machine is usually driven from a countershaft under the table. The bracket I5 is provided with a transverse rib 54 adapted to seat in this channel, and

the rib is so located that when it is seated inthe channel it locates the arm Hi, the shaft l8,

proper position with respect to the sewing ma-- chine elements,- and by merely applying one or more screws 55 the. bracket may be secured to the sewing. machine head Thus all that is necessary in applying this device to the head is to place the bracket in position with the rib 54 in the transverse groove-53, apply the screws 55 and secure the eccentric 38 tothe end of the main shaft l3 as previously described. No: fitting, ad-

justing or similar operations are required, and

the entire ruffling attachment may be assembled. entirely independently of the: machine and applied thereto complete as an assembled unit by the simple operation described without reconstructing or changing the sewing machine. This device has been found in practice to operate effectively at full speed at which these machines are operated in the: factory and to operate indefinitely and give the desired ruflling operation. It will be evident that this attachment can be 7 purchased and easily and quickly applied to machines: already installed in a factory without purchasing another sewing machine.

.ImFigs. 6 to 9 I have shown how the attachment maybe applied to a somewhat different from these examples how the bracket arrangement. can be modified to accommodate the attachment for different types of machines. The machine of Figs. 6 to 9 is an overseaming type of machine indicated as a whole at 55. Iv have not shown details of this machine as the machineitself forms no part of my invention. I In this type of machine, however, the main drive shaft 51 is in the lower part of the head of the machine and therefore in my rufliing attachment the operating bar leading from an eccentric on this shaft is reversed from the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 5, and extends upwardly from this shaft instead of downwardly from the shaft as in the type of machine shown in Figs. 1 to 5. In this attachment also the bracket for carrying the oscillating shaft for operating the rufiler blade and the operating arm for oscillating this shaft is modified to fit the different type of head of this machine. The general construction and principle of operation is however the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to5, and it may be assembled and applied to the machine as a completely assembled unit the same as in the first form.

The construction comprises a bracket 58 which in this case is shaped to rest against and lit the side of the head 56 of the machine and is secured thereto by screws 59 threaded into tapped openings in this head and properly located by dowel pins 60. The bracket also includes a laterally extending arm 6| similar to' the arm of the first type carrying bearings 62 for the oscillating shaft 18 carrying the downwardly extending arm I!) which carries the rufiier blade 20 at the front of the presser foot 63 the same as in the first form. The shaft 18 is operated by the operating arm 26 the same as in the first form except that this arm is reversed so that the slot 35 is substantially concentric to the axis of the shaft 51. The operating bar 21 and associated parts are the same as in the form of Figs. 1 to 5. In this case the bracket has an extension 64 carrying the guide 65 for this bar 21. In this particular case, however, it is preferred that instead of mounting the eccentric on the end of the main shaft of the machine as in Fig. 1 it may be mounted between the band and hand wheel 66 and themachine head. This eccentric is indicated at 61 and has a hub 68 for carrying a set screw 59 properly located the same as the pin 33 of the first form to seat in the key way which is standard in the shaft 51. All that is necessary is to release the set screw holding the band and hand wheel, remove this wheel from the shaft, set the eccentric 61 thereon and set. the set screw 69 and then replace the hand wheel. The operation is otherwise the same as in the form of Figs. 1 to 5.

The separator plate H corresponding to plate 51 of the first form is mounted on a rod 12 pivoted at 13 on a lug H on the bracket 58, preferably with a spring washer on this pivot to hold the rod at different positions. The separator plate may therefore be swung to and from the position under the rufller blade by merely swinging the rod 12. This rod may carry an adjustable stop screw 16 adapted to engage the side wall of the head. 51:? to limit inner movement of the rod and the plate to properly locate the plate by merely swinging it forward until this screw engages the head. The screw may be held in adjusted position by a lock nut '11,

It will be seen that this second form of attachment operates and. may be assembled as a unit and applied as such assembled unit to the machine the same as the first form of Figs. 1 to 5, and that when so applied it will operate and function in the same way.

In both forms of the device the driving eccentric or 61 may be secured to the band and hand wheel instead of the shaft, or it could be made a part of a new hand or band wheel and when applying the attachment the old wheel may b1? removed and such new Wheel applied on the s aft.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A rufliing attachment for sewing machines comprising as an assembled unit and attachable to a sewing machine as such a unit a bracket having a lateral arm to extend horizontally in front of a sewing machine head, shaft bearings on said arm, a shaft mounted in said bearings, a downwardly extending arm secured to the shaft, a willing blade carried by said latter arm in front of the machine presser foot, an operating arm secured to the other end of the shaft, an eccentric crank, means for securing the eccentric crank to the main shaft of the machine, a bar having a bearing embracing the eccentric crank and connected to said operating arm for oscillating the first shaft, and means for securing the bracket to the sewing machine head to mount the assembly thereon.

2. A ruilling attachment for sewing machines comprising a bracket having a laterally extending arm, bearings carried by said arm, an oscillating shaft mounted in said bearings, a downwardly extending arm secured to said shaft, a miller blade carried by said latter arm, an operating arm secured to said shaft, an eccentric crank, means for securing the eccentric crank to the main shaft of the sewing machine, a bar having a. bearing to embrace said eccentric crank, means connecting said bar to the operating arm to oscillate said first shaft and adjustable along said arm to vary the throw of said blade, and means for securing said attachment as an assembled unit to the head of a sewing machine with said bracket arm extending horizontally in front of said head to locate the blade in front of the machine presser foot.

3. A ruflling attachment for sewing machines comprising a bracket having a laterally extending arm, an oscillating shaft mounted in bearings on said arm, a downwardly extending arm secured to said shaft, a rufiier blade carried by said latter arm, an operating arm secured to the shaft having a longitudinal slot, an eccentric crank, means for securing the eccentric crank to the main shaft of a sewing machine, a bar having a bearing embracing the eccentric crank and carrying a pin in said slot to oscillate the first shaft, adjustable means on the operating arm to determine the position of the pin in the slot to determine the throw of the rufller blade, and means to mount the bracket and the assembled ruflier operating means on the machine head as an assembled unit with the rufiler blade in operative position in front of the needle.

4. A ruflling attachment for sewing machines comprising a bracket having a laterally extending arm, an oscillating shaft mounted in bearings on said arm, an arm secured to said latter shaft, a ruffler blade carried by said arm, an

operating arm secured to said shaft, an eccentric crank adapted to be secured to the main shaft of a sewing machine, a bar having a hearing for said eccentric crank and connected with said operating arm for operating the shaft, a rod pivoted to the bracket, a separator plate mounted on said rod and swingable with the rod to a position under the rufiier blade, and means for mounting the bracket on the head of a sewing machine.

5. A ruffiing attachment for sewing machines comprising a bracket having a laterally extending arm, an oscillating shaft mounted in bearings on said arm, a downwardly extending arm secured to said shaft, a ruffler blade carried by said latter arm, an operating arm secured to the shaft having a longitudinal slot, an eccentric crank, means for securing the eccentric crank to the main shaft of a sewing machine, a bar having a bearing embracing the eccentric crank and carrying a pin in said slot to oscillate the first mentioned shaft, an adjustable stop on said operating arm to limit movement of pin toward the shaft, a control lever connected to said bar to hold it against said stop, a spring tending to move the pin in the slot toward the free end of the operating lever, and means for mounting the bracket on the head of a sewing machine.

6. A ruflling attachment for sewing machines comprising as a unit assembly a bracket, a shaft carried by the bracket, a ruflling blade operated by said shaft and carried by the bracket, an operating arm secured to the shaft, an operating bar secured to said arm by a connection adjustable longitudinally of the arm to vary the throw of the ruflling blade, an eccentric crank adapted for mounting in a bearing in said bar and also adapted for attachment to the main shaft of a sewing machine, and means for mounting the bracket with the elements thereon as a unit as sembly on the head of said sewing machine with the milling blade in operative position in front of the sewing machine needle.

I ALFRED F. DE ROSE. 

